Calender of Events

Upcoming Events

July201619

“HOW TO LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND - SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT” POLICY DIALOGUE AND LAUNCH OF NEW REPORT

19 July 2016

Event location: New York, USA

Description:
During this event, UNEP’s International Resource Panel (IRP) will be presenting to country delegations and other relevant stakeholders a new assessment highlighting both the need for transformative changes in lifestyles and consumption behavior in order to achieve the SDGs and possible cost-effective pathways towards a
prosperous and equitable future for all.

This policy dialogue is intended to be interactive with the audience. Participants are highly encouraged to engage in the question and answer session with the speakers to help shape the dialogue conclusions.

IRP Lab Debate at the European Development Days: Sustainable Resource Use and Management - Implementing the SDGs

15 June 2016

Event location: Brussels, Belgium

Description:
The sustainable management and use of natural resources will be critical for the achievement of the SDGs. Of the 17 Goals, progress towards 12 directly depends upon the sustainable utilization of natural resources.
Current trends of unsustainable exploitation and use of natural resources will affect their future availability and accessibility and could impede the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda. Further, as natural resources are intrinsically interlinked, pathways and policies designed to accomplish one SDG may impede progress towards numerous others.
This event will discuss the main findings of the IRP on sustainable use and management of natural resources in the context of the SDGs with the aim of drawing the attention of those involved in the process to several potential policy coherence issues.

Description:
The 16th Meeting of the International Resource Panel and its Steering Committee will be held in Ha Noi, Vietnam on 25-29 May, 2015. The core objectives of the meeting will be to review the progress in the preparation of the on-going assessment reports of the IRP, examine new study proposals, and explore the policy-relevance of the Panel’s new findings. During the meeting operational matters, communications plan, and impact of the IRP will be discussed. In addition, the 16th IRP and its Steering Committee meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss options to enhance outreach to national and regional-level experts and stakeholders, and to expand the expert base of the IRP.

July20156

Launch of the IRP Assessment: Policy Coherence of the SDGs - A Natural Resources Perspective

6 July 2015

Event location: New York, USA

Description:
The International Resource Panel will organize a side event that will serve as a platform to launch its latest assessment on the policy coherence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from a natural resource perspective. The event will take place on 6th July 2015, from 1:15pm to 2:30pm, at the Conference Room 3, UN Building in New York, USA.
The assessment will be launched in the presence of eminent stakeholders from government, civil society, the research community, as well as main global media players covering the event. Speakers during the session include Co-chairs of the International Resource Panel Dr. Ashok Khosla and Dr. Janez Potočnik; H.E. Ambassador María Emma Mejía Vélez, Vice-President of ECOSOC, Representative of the Government of Colombia (TBC); Commissioner Karmenu Vella European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Alice Kaudia, Environment Secretary, Ministry of Environment Kenya; and Dr. Michael Obersteiner, Expert Member of the International Resource Panel and Programme Director, Ecosystem Services and Management (ESM), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).
The event will also include a discussion with representatives of Member States (Colombia, Kenya and European Commission) on the way forward for the implementation of the SDGs, including mechanisms to ensure adequate coordination between initiatives to achieve the respective goals at the national, regional and global levels.

July20158

International Resource Panel Session at the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy

8 July 2015

Event location: Paris, France

Description:
The French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy is launching its circular economy and energy transition strategy in Paris on 8 July 2015. As part of this event, the International Resource Panel has been invited to make a series of presentations on the findings, importance, and policy relevance of its different reports. Through this event, the French Ministry also aims at contributing to the dissemination of the IRP’s findings and to the recognition of the Panel’s work in France. In addition, the event will seek opportunities on how the IRP’s recommendations can be translated into public actions and how they can be of use at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21).
Invitees to the event include representatives of different French Ministries as well as other relevant stakeholders from business federations, NGOs, local communities, trade-unions, etc. The event will be held at the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy -Auditorium de la Tour Sequoia, La Defense- in Paris on 8 July 2015.

August201516

International Resource Panel Session at the 6th Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific

16-19 August 2015

Event location: Malé, Republic of the Maldives

Description:
As part of the cooperation of the International Resource Panel with Japanese Government, a session is being proposed to take place during the 3R Forum in Asia to be held in the Republic of the Maldives on 16-19 August, 2015.The purpose of the session is to provide the audience with the latest scientific findings on challenges, opportunities and policy options on resources management, recycling and remanufacturing, including knowledge on the potential of remanufacturing, the environmental benefits of recycling, and the current recycling technologies and opportunities.

Nov201530

Launch of the International Resource Panel: 10 Key Messages on Climate Change and new assessment report Green Energy Choices: The Benefits, Risks, and Trade-Offs of Low Carbon Technologies for Electricity Production

30 November 2015

Event location: Paris, France

Description:

The International Resource Panel will be launching two very important documents during the COP21 in Paris: its 10 Key Messages on Climate Change document that captures the key findings and messages of the IRP's extensive work and highlights the intrinsic nature and synergy between decarbonization and decoupling, and its new scientific assessment report Green Energy Choices: The Benefits, Risks, and Trade-Offs of Low-Carbon Technologies for Electricity Production, a report that provides, for the first time ever, a global comparative study on the impact of 9 main low carbon electricity generation technologies on GHG emission, resource use, environment and health. The event will take place on Monday November 30 from 18:15-19:45 (Paris time) at the Pavilion of Nordic Council of Ministers: New Nordic Climate Solutions “Blue Zone”, Hall 2B, Room 65 – COP21, Le Bourget, Paris. Speakers during the session include Former European Commissioner for the Environment and IRP’s Co-Chair Janez Potocnik, Lead Author of the Green Energy Choices Report and Expert Member of the IRP Edgar Hertwich, Director of the UNEP's Division of Technology, Industry and Economics Ligia Nornoha, and Hans Koch Executive Director of the Nordic Energy Research.

Reports & Publications

Unlocking the Sustainable Potential of Land Resources: Evaluation Systems, Strategies and Tools

Land resources are one of nature’s most precious gifts. They feed us and help our societies and economies to thrive. Some 2.5 billion agricultural smallholders worldwide....

Global food systems have radically changed over the last 50 years. Food production has more than doubled, diets have become more varied (and often more energy-intense) satisfying people’s preferences ...

Options for Decoupling Economic Growth from Water Use and Water Pollution

Global trends point to a relative decoupling of water – that is, the rate of water resource use is increasing at a rate slower than that of economic growth. The Options for Decoupling Economic Growth from...

Water is an essential resource for virtually all aspects of human enterprise, from agriculture via urbanization to energy and industrial production. Equally, the many uses for water create pressures...

The continued increase in the use of metals over the twentieth century has led to a substantial shift from geological resource base to metal stocks in society. This report reviews the relevant literature on this topic.